


The beauty of death

by margomikina



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Mild torture, Necromancy, Other, Undead, necromancer OC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-27 08:16:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16698769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/margomikina/pseuds/margomikina
Summary: Never had she thought her life would end up like this. After a near death experience in the frozen wastes of Northrend she comes across a shed filled with all the horrors of the world. But she did not flinch away. She embraced it.





	1. A new door opens

Cold. Hunger. Desperation.

Those were the only things she felt at that moment. She tried to bury her face deeper into the thick furs of her coat, but even that was not enough to shield her from the icy winds. She was by no means underdressed. She had prepared to move through the frozen plains of Northrend, dressed in a thick fur coat and fur laced boots. But even that was not enough to shield her from the snowstorm that had struck her swiftly and mercilessly. She had been too late to find shelter, and for the last hour she was left to wander the frozen abyss in search of a place to hide from the freezing cold. She could barely see, for whenever she tried the wind would ruthlessly slash at her face, making her cower into the little cover she had. Even if she was able to see, the blizzard was so thick that she could barely see a few feet.

By all means, she should have succumbed to hypothermia by now. Only her natural affinity to frost magic kept her alive, albeit barely. Her vision was faltering, black spots swimming across her vision. She knew she could not hold on for much longer. As if to confirm this fact, her legs gave out and with a gasp she fell into the unforgiving snow. She wanted to die right there, if only to end this torture. Her hood had been flung from her head by a strong gust, exposing her face to the slicing wind. She wanted to grasp the hood again, but her hands would not listen. She looked at her gloved hands, feeling frostbite come along them. She clutched them to her chest, closing her eyes tightly. ''Please...'' a final act of desperation. ''I don't want to die...''

A sudden searing hot pain flared in her chest. A dominant and loud voice within her screamed ''NO''. She gasped and tried to scream in fear at the excruciating pain, but her throat was raw and it only succeeded in adding to her pain. Instead she could only stare ahead, eyes wide as saucers. But wait... What was that? Was that a light in the distance? Sudden hope flared in her chest, dulling the pain. With astounding effort she pulled herself back up on her feet and stumbled towards the light. She slipped and nearly fell occasionally, but a newfound determination kept her from falling to the floor again. But again, exhaustion overtook her. She could no longer see the light. She had been tricked. Her own mind had tricked her in pushing on just a little bit more. Sorrow consumed her once more and she felt no more need to go on further, no more will. She let herself fall forward, no longer caring where she fell.

But then, she did not. Her fall was stopped by something hard and... warm. She placed her hand against it and braced herself. It was a door. A wooden door. Which meant a house... and shelter.

Still fearing that her mind was playing tricks on her she was hesitant to open it. It was hard to turn the doorknob, for her fingers would not wrap around it. When she finally managed it, a jiggle proved that the door was locked. A white hot rage welled up inside of her. She had finally found salvation, and she would not let anything stop her until she got into that house. With a roar of fury she released a frostbolt on the lock and it exploded with a satisfying boom. She ripped the door open and fell inside, only to fall to the floor, unconscious.

When she woke next she felt a lot warmer than before. She raised her head to find that the fire place had been lit, making the room warm and cozy. She sat up slowly, searching for anyone else that could be in the room. When she found nobody she rose up fully. She no longer felt exhausted, though she still felt slightly weary. The room was evidently a living room. There was the fireplace that she could sense was lit by magic. There was a single comfortable looking chair in front of the fireplace, along with a little table. Looking further around she found that there was one door and a staircase. Most of the walls were covered in bookcases, of course, filled with innumerable books. You could almost compare it to a small library. She could see that several of those books were placed on a little table next to a the chair. Deciding it was good to rest some more she sat in the chair, not thinking at all about invading someone else's home. Curiously she picked up a few of the books that lay next to it.

'The human body', 'The arcane arts', 'decomposition'. But the one that really caught attention was named 'the beauty of undeath'. She opened the first few pages and was instantly captivated. 'Death is something that we mortals fear the most. Life is filled with choices and possibilities, but death is the one inescapable truth. We all die. We have no choice in the matter, that is why most of us fear it. Those who do not are foolish.'

'But there is a way to defy this certainty. Undeath. Many would lead you to believe that undeath is an abomination on mankind, that you should not practice it for it is 'unnatural' and 'against nature'. but there is no such thing. If it is possible how can it be unnatural? They are simply deluded. Scared of the unknown. They are not strong enough delve deeper into this mostly unexplored form of magic. 'In this book I will show and teach you the art of undeath and necromancy'.

She could not take away her eyes. She read. She kept reading until she had finished the thick book. But she wanted more. her curiosity was not yet sated. She picked up one book after the other, all about the undead or necromancy. She was fascinated by the subject. Like the author of the first book had said, it was an unexplored form of magic, and she wanted to be the first to truly discover it's possibilities. She had always been ambitious, and it was what led her to travel the world. It was what led her into that blizzard and then, into this house. Suddenly something clicked. Surely this was not a coincidence. Something had led her here. Something that wanted her to learn necromancy.

Suddenly she could hear whispers. They were unintelligible, but they still scared her. Trying to distract herself she dove back into the book she was reading.

Several days had passed. She guessed that the house was either uninhabited or abandoned in a hurry, so she claimed it as her own. She would stay inside the house, occupying her time by reading books and occasionally going out hunting. The house was well stocked with dried fruits and meats, but she mostly wanted to leave those for emergencies. She had mostly explored the house, but there was one door that was locked and sealed by magic. Obviously something of import was down there, and so far she had not been bothered to break the seal. After a week however, her curiosity could no longer be sated by just reading the books. She had to practice the things she learned. Her hands itched to perform the complex magic spells that she had thus far only read about. She needed a place to practice, and she had a feeling that place was behind the sealed door.

She was a skilled mage, despite her age. Although it was a very complex spell that sealed the door, she managed to figure it out in three days. What she found inside was not unexpected. Something that resembled a laboratory, though with a very dark and foul stench. Not surprising considering the books she found in the house. It was dark, with only several candles that could provide light. With a flick of her hand the candles were lit and she could see more clearly. What she found would make anyone scream in terror, but not her.

Rats, both living and dead, were trapped in cages. Obviously they were used to experiment on. There were also several mice laying around, in various stages of decay. A curious looking wooden box sitting on a desk caught her attention. She opened it slowly. With a gasp and a sound of disgust she covered her mouth. Rats, half decomposed, lay in the box. To most it looked like a grotesque show of horror. To her, it looked like a failed experiment of necromancy. Next to the box she found a book. Flipping it open she found that it was a journal. Obviously whoever was conducting these experiments was documenting them thoroughly. This would come in handy, she thought. Looking back at the rats, who by now sat quietly in their cages, she smirked. Time to perfect what the last person could not.

Another week passed. A week filled with reading, performing necromancy and hunting. Of course her first few experiments of necromancy had failed miserably, and she wasn't making a lot of progress in such a short amount of time. So far the raised rats would survive for only an hour, sometimes even less than that. But as she tried more and more it became better.

on the 11th day she was in the laboratory, a cup of tea in hand and a book on the table in front of her. She had been trying to find out one recurring problem in her spells. Whenever the rats would truly die, their bellies would rip open and spill their guts on the floor. While this should not have been a problem, since they were dead anyway, it did spark her curiosity.

She was halfway through the book when she could hear rumbling in the living room. She froze up, trying to determine if what she heard was her mind playing tricks on her or it was actually someone breaking into the house. When she heard nothing she sighed in relief and returned to her work.

But then the door to the laboratory slammed open and a icy wind came in. A trail of ice, almost faster than she could see, slithered along the floor towards her and as soon as it touched her it enveloped her entire body in ice. She could not move. She could barely breathe. A man stepped into the room. He looked to be about his late 30's, a little older than her. he had faded black hair, and a beard growing on his chin. He was also wearing mage robes in the colors of Dalaran. He also didn't look very happy.

''So the Kirin Tor finally decided to send someone to snoop around my little home, have they?'' he said, obviously amused. ''Seems I have caught them in their little act. I hope you have feasted your eyes on the wonders here, for they are the last you will ever see'' he had a wicked grin on his face. The woman was terrified. Never had she thought that the owner of this house would return, and that he would be this hostile. Then again, she had invaded his home. She was glad when the man's attention shifted to the table that she had been working on. A rat that she had raised from the dead just before he came in was still sitting on the tabletop, waiting for an order.

The man hummed in thought before he turned to the journal beside the creature. He flipped it open to the last few written pages. ''This is not my hand writing...'' he mumbled to himself, rubbing his beard in thought. In the book were written observations after attempted necromancy, much like he did whenever he experimented on the rats. Again he hummed. ''What is your name?'' he asked, a lot more gentle this time. The ice around her mouth disappeared, allowing her to talk properly. ''Lilith'' she answered, not daring to say more. This man was obviously above her skill level. ''Why are you here?'' he asked.

She swallowed. There's nothing better than the truth. ''I sought shelter after having been hit by a blizzard. I found this... your house and since nobody was here I thought it was abandoned. I became... fascinated by the books here and... decided to practice what I had learnt from the books'' she paused occasionally to think, choosing her words carefully. ''Yes I can see that'' he said as he poked the rat. ''Are you from the Kirin Tor? And don't even think about lying to me. I will know when you do'' he threatened. Lilith swallowed. ''I am not. I am a simple traveler''. The man chuckled again. ''A simple traveler who managed to break my complex seal on my laboratory door? Please. I'm not stupid''.

Lilith became frustrated. ''Fine. I'm a traveling mage looking for more knowledge on the arcane arts, happy?'' She flinched, expecting a backlash from him for talking so rudely. But she was surprised to see him grin brightly at her. ''Oh yes. Very happy'' with a flick of his finger the ice covering her body melted and she was able to move again. She stretched her muscles. The man started examining the rat and many of her other failed experiments she had dumped in a bucket. He was muttering things to himself, completely ignoring her. ''May I ask your name?'' she finally asked softly.

The man turned to her, as if having forgotten she was still there. ''Kel'Thuzad. Pleased to make your acquaintance, my dear'' He held out his hand for her to take, which she did. A firm handshake. She liked that. They stared at each other, Kel'Thuzad slightly bent forward to be eye level with her. ''Can you teach me?'' she finally asked firmly. A twinkle appeared in his eye. ''I most certainly can, my dear''


	2. life gives and life takes away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time has passed and apprentice and teacher turned into equals. Kel'thuzad embarks on another business trip to Dalaran and is sending back an unwelcome committee

Lilith was sat in a chair in the living room. Ever since Kel'Thuzad had taken her in as an apprentice he had changed his house accordingly. There were now two chairs, two beds and two workbenches for in the laboratory. She was quite comfortable being around him. Despite the rather peculiar way they first met, they had definitely started liking each other. Maybe it helped that they had the same humor. actually, it was more likely that they had the same view on necromancy. They didn't see it as something evil. They saw it as something to strive for, a challenge. They were both ambitious individuals. They chose to strive for knowledge and greatness. Something they both believe could be obtained through necromancy.

Kel'Thuzad was also an excellent teacher. patient and wise. He had much to teach her, though he did humbly admit that he had only recently started performing necromancy, so he was not all that great himself. Kel'Thuzad had quickly found out that Lilith was an excellent student. She had a great ambition to learn and strive for greater things. She was also not afraid of the unknown, unlike many other mages. Her skill in necromancy became great. And, over time, almost as great as his own. And so instead of teacher and apprentice, they became equals. However, he was still by far her superior in the arcane arts.

Neither had any problem with this change. They settled nicely into a new rhythm. Instead of Kel'Thuzad teaching Lilith, she joined him in his experiments and gave him her opinions and ideas. Together, they made great progress.

She mused over the changes of the past year. Her life had changed so drastically after that blizzard. She was almost thankful for being in that snowstorm. She liked her new life. She enjoyed being around Kel'Thuzad, their bickering was quite amusing, and she enjoyed learning new things, striving for greater power.

Right now she was in her own chair, reading a book while sipping her tea. She wasn't really paying attention to the book, for her thoughts were elsewhere. A soft hand was placed on her shoulder and a soft baritone voice accompanied it. ''What are you thinking about?''. Lilith looked up with a small smile on her face. ''About how much my life has changed in the past year''. Kel'Thuzad raised a curious eyebrow before taking his seat next to her, in his own chair. The fireplace was crackling happily, creating a relaxed atmosphere. ''For the better, I hope'' he opened his book and rifled through it, though it was obvious he wasn't paying attention to it at all. ''Of course. Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me'' she admitted with a gentle smile, hidden behind her teacup. ''Oh, hush. you're going to make me blush. Hey... that rhymes'' they both chuckled. ''You should become a poet, Kel. Your life might be easier then''. ''Easier, but a lot less interesting. After all, if my work hadn't intrigued you so when you broke into my house we might never have met. It would have been such a shame. My life would have been a lot more boring''. Lilith blushed, thankfully still hidden by the teacup.

''You really find me that interesting?'' she asked, in a rare moment of shyness. Kel'Thuzad picked up on this change as quick as lightning. ''well yes. your singing in the shower is very 'interesting'''. Kel'Thuzad was quick to bring his arm up to block the pillow that was aimed at his face. ''You'll have to try better than that, my dear'' he couldn't help but taunt, a shit-eating grin on his face. He expected the frostbolt that came next. What he didn't expect was a body flung right after it. Both humans let out a grunt as both them and the chair fell over. Both his hands were held next to his head, held by Lilith who was by now panting softly. Her knees were on either side of his hips and most of her weight was on his wrists. ''Better?'' she asked, mimicking his grin from before. ''Better'' he said, surprised she had done such a thing. She was spontaneous, yes, but never to this extent. Silence fell over them as they simply stared at each other, both deep in thought.

''Could you let me go?'' Kel tentatively asked. he regretted it soon after. A smirk appeared on her smug face. ''Nope'' and instead of getting off, like he asked, she sat down on his hips, preventing him from even trying to escape. When she did however Kel'Thuzad emitted a gasp and a grunt, making Lilith wonder what was wrong with him. but then she realized that what she was sitting on was kind of... inappropriate. It wasn't soft flesh she was sitting on either, but rather something that had turned a bit harder... They both stared at each other with wide eyes and beet red faces.

She blushed a deep crimson when she realized what it was and what it meant, and quickly jumped off of him. ''Actually I think I'll go get some more tea'' she said hastily as she escaped into the bathroom. Once there she took a deep breath. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest. She tried to distract herself by making more tea, like she said she would, and for a moment it seemed that it helped. She soon walked back into the living room, heart calmed and a straight face. Kel'Thuzad had cleaned up the mess they had made and was once again sitting calmly in his chair, acting as if nothing had happened. She placed both tea cups on the table in front of the chairs and sat down. For the rest of the night they read in silence.

The very next day was when Kel'Thuzad had to leave for Dalaran. he still had his responsibilities and a reputation to uphold. He had to return every few weeks to attend meetings and show his face to lessen any rumours of what he was up to. He had planned this trip for at least a few days.

They stood in the living room, Kel'Thuzad preparing to depart, checking his bag one last time to make sure he brought everything necessary. Lilith was standing by the fire, looking into the flames worriedly. She had a sinking feeling. She didn't want him to go, that was for sure, but she did not know why. He had left many times before but it never worried as much as it did now. Maybe it was because of what happened the night before, but that would be silly. No, this was something else. When she heard footsteps walking away from her she quickly turned around. ''Kel!'' she called him by his nickname. Said man turned around questioningly. They hadn't said a word to each other ever since the night before. She knew that the man was simply giving her time and space to think and she appreciated it.

After a short pause she gathered her courage and strode up to him. Once she was close enough she wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him tightly, pressing her body to his. She could feel his muscles tense, but it only made her embrace him tighter. Finally, after another moment of hesitance he wrapped his arms around her midriff and hugged back softly at first, before giving in and hugging her tightly. ''It is unlike you to be this... close, Lilith'' he whispered in her ear tenderly, making her shiver with an unknown feeling. His voice was calm and even, like it always was. He was only a few years older than her, yet he seemed so much more wise.

She ignored his comment, opting to instead hug him tighter, as if she was afraid of letting go. Kel'Thuzad did not let go either, instead opting to stroke her hair to soothe her. It seemed like an eternity before she realized she could not hold him here forever, no matter what she said or did. ''I know you won't take me with you, but please...'' she moved away from the embrace. A rash decision made her move up and place a kiss on his bearded cheek. ''... be safe''. Kel'Thuzad looked at her, slight confusion evident in his eyes, but he nodded nevertheless. ''I shall. I will be back in 7 days''. She nodded, and finally stepped away from him. He opened the door, but again she could not stop herself before she grabbed his arm. ''I... I'll have a surprise for you when you return. I'm sure you'll like it'' it was a last attempt to make sure that he would come home. Again, he simply nodded, this time curiosity written on his face. ''I look forward to it'' then he disappeared.

Her days were filled with the usual thing whenever he was away, though with a bit more pacing and worrying. She could not get rid of that nagging feeling in her stomach, and it was torturing her. She knew she could not get rid of it until he returned. She tried occupying her mind with raising more rats, who by now lived up to a full day and could obey simple commands, reading and tea drinking. She was doing the two latter things. The tea helped calm her nerves. She closed her eyes with a sigh. It was the most serene she had felt ever since Kel had left. She lounged in the chair when suddenly she sensed a presence, one she hadn't felt before. It was soon accompanied by another, and they were getting closer. She got up from the chair and positioned herself so it was between her and the door. She readied for whatever was coming.

She heard footsteps in front of the door, and then all went still. She could only hear the crackle of the fireplace. The door exploded inward, sending splinters flying in all directions. As soon as it did she sent several frostbolts hurling towards the two people at the door. One missed, the other hit its mark as a loud scream was heard. The man crumbled to the floor, clutching his frostbitten arm. The other man was quicker to react. In that brief moment of surprise she managed to register that they were both dressed in the purple colors of Dalaran. So they were behind this. Which meant...

But she had no time to think. The man summoned his magic and knocked Lilith off her feet with a powerful blast of fire. She grunted as she was flung into the wall. The man advanced, but a quick swipe of her hand summoned an ice wall that blocked half of the room, it would take him at least a few seconds to take it down. She glanced to the side, sensing more than seeing more mages come closer, and they all had formidable arcane power. She didn't stand a chance. There was only one option. She fled up the stairs, hearing the mage grunt behind her as he tried to tear the wall down. She made it to the bedroom when she finally heard it crumble.

footsteps pounded on the stairs, they were coming for her. No more time to think now. Racing through the house, she slammed the dimly lit bedroom door behind her and thrust the windows open. Barely glancing down she swung over the ledge, fingertips dangling from the cill she took a short sharp breath. Bracing herself for the jarring impact she let go, landing hard her knees propelled themselves into her midriff momentarily winding her. Gasping for breath and squinting through watering eyes she dragged herself up and collapsed against the wall behind her. Gaining back her composure, thoughts raced through her mind as she heard shouting from inside the house she'd just escaped from. Slinking into the shadows she crept to the edge of the wall. Taking a deep, raking breath she steeled herself and peered around the edge. Bobbing lights in the horizon gradually drew closer towards the house illuminating it eerily with light. She could clearly see the mages bodyguards holding aloft torches marching towards the house. Gasping, her eyes suddenly narrowed with rage as she spotted the mage striding amidst them. She had never seen him in person, but many descriptions from Kel'Thuzad allowed her to recognize him immediately. Archmage Antonidas. That bastard.

Lilith growled, annoyed at her own cowardice. But she knew she would be obliterated had she faced all of them alone. She was no good with fire magic, but it was not hard to light something on fire. She summoned a great portion of her mana before placing her hand against the cold wood of the house. With a few muttered words it sparked. A fire quickly trailed along the wood, fed by her magical energy. It quickly enveloped the entire house. She hoped that it was enough to destroy any evidence that they would be able to use against Kel'Thuzad.

Pulling her coat, that she had managed to retrieve from the bedroom, close around her she waddled into the night. She headed for the nearest village, planning to hide and figure out what had happened. It was a long walk, two days to be exact, and when she arrived she was cold, dirty, hungry and thirsty.

She had quickly gotten a bed to sleep in and food to eat from the little gold she had in her pockets. She stayed in the village until the next day. She was planning to leave soon, wanting to head to Dalaran and see what happened to Kel'Thuzad. Obviously they had finally acted upon their suspicion that there was something wrong in his little vacation house. She cursed the mage that had acted upon it. Antonidas. She swore she would make him pay for destroying their home.

She was walking the streets, a hood over her head and a mask over her mouth to obscure her face. It was not uncommon to wear a hood and a mask due to the cold, so nobody questioned her. A ruckus from one of the buildings caught her attention. A man was flung outside by two scantily clad ladies. The building was obviously a brothel. And if this man was just thrown out, it meant he didn't have enough money or he had manhandled one of the women.

The man brushed off the snow and grunted in annoyance. He turned into her direction and that is when something clicked. She recognized that face. It was the one that blasted her with fire. Her eyes darkened. This was perfect. He might have been one of the lackeys of Antonidas, but she knew he kept high level mages around, so that meant he had information... She watched the man trod away from the brothel, but she quickly decided to follow him. She tapped him on his shoulder. ''Excuse me. I saw you get knocked out of that brothel. What happened?'' The man looked at her with an arrogant sneer, though his eyes did trail up and down. His face suddenly softened, a sickeningly sweet smile played on his lips. ''Oh the ladies and I had a disagreement that is all. It happens''.

Good, he did not seem to know who she was. It was a great risk to have approached him like this, but one she was willing to take. She grabbed him by the arm. ''You do not need to go to a brothel to have some fun, you know'' she said slyly. The man had a disturbing twinkle in his eye when she said that. ''That sounds like a promise''. They both grinned at each other and Lilith started tugging on his arm to lead him into an alleyway. She knew the village quite well, for she often visited to restock on their supplies. She knew there was one alleyway that was usually abandoned, and she dragged right towards it. When they were almost there however the man suddenly grabbed her and slammed her into the stone wall. She gasped, the wind momentarily knocked out of her. Had he finally recognized her? No matter, she was sure she could take him on anyway.

''This is as good a place as any'' the man said as he started to touch her in many uncomfortable places. He seemed frantic and clumsy, for he fumbled with both their clothing. Lilith rolled her eyes. ''You pig...''. A swipe of her hand stilled the man, an arcane lock holding his limbs in place. He was of high rank, but his magic was not powerful enough to override hers. ''M-mage...?'' he managed to stutter out. Lilith chuckled. ''Oh yes. One you wished you never met'' she grinned evilly, pulling off her mask. That was when his eyes widened in horror. ''You...''. ''Yes, me... Now... you are going to answer some questions. But if you refuse to answer...'' another flick of her wrist made him scream in pain. ''... That is what you'll get. And don't think you'll get out of here. Nobody will hear you. My silencing barriers are impeccable''.

The man shivered against her restraints, but she would not let up. Not until she got some answers. ''Why did you invade that house?''. it took a moment for the man to get his bearings before he managed to respond. ''T-the mage who lived there was convicted upon the suspicions of necromancy. W-we were o-ordered to search his house for any proof. And we got it'' he smirked at her, a cocky smirk. She swiped her hand out of spite, making him grunt, but he made no more noise. ''What did you find?''. ''A box of dead rats. it was obvious they had been risen from the dead before''. She cursed. That would be enough evidence to get Kel'Thuzad captive. ''Where is the mage now. Where is he being held?''.

The man laughed, a self-satisfied smirk was playing on his lips. ''You are too late...'' he looked at her, mirth written all over his face. ''He is already dead''. Lilith's eyes widened. No, this could not be. He couldn't be dead. Not after all this time. . She still needed his input on her experiments. She still needed his company. She still needed him. ''You lie'' she tried to feebly call him out on his bluff. The man chuckled darkly. ''He died like a screaming little pi-'' but he could not finish his sentence, for a spike of ice had stabbed him right through the heart. Lilith dropped her arm, tears streaming down her face. The one person she cared for... gone. She let out a cry of anguish as she dropped to her knees. They still had so much to talk about. They still had so much to do. But now it was all for nothing. He was gone, and would not come back.

She sat there for at least an hour, wallowing in her sorrow. She didn't want to believe that he was truly dead, but it would not be a surprise. If they had gotten such hard evidence then they wouldn't hesitate to execute him. She punched the wall, leaving her fist scraped and throbbing. She would get revenge. She would make sure that Antonidas would get what he deserved for killing her teacher. He would PAY.

The mage was still pinned against the wall from her icicle. A sudden dark thought entered her mind. She raised her hand as it slowly started to glow with a black light. She muttered a few words and before long the body twitched. The corpse opened its eyes and looked at her. They were the lifeless white color of the undead. ''You're coming with me now''.


	3. here without you

The city was shrouded in night. There was little noise, only the occasional caw of a disturbed crow. There was little to see at this time of night. Atop of one of the many roofs sat a lone figure. its face was obscured by a hood and a mask. It was looking at a single house, through one specific window. It was waiting for something...

The room to which the window belonged was one of many of the inn. Just like most of its inhabitants,, the man in the room seemed to sleep peacefully. If only he knew what was going to happen. Finally, the figure decided to act. It jumped onto the windowsill silently and entered the room. It stalked towards the bed its target rested in, dagger ready. But suddenly, the figure stilled. It reached a hand over to the man in the bed and pulled away the blankets. The underside was covered in blood, so was most of the man's neck. He had already been killed.

Only a millisecond passed before a shadow appeared from the far corner of the room. The figure quickly found itself trapped, a dagger at its throat. ''Who are you?'' The shadow asked. It was a deep male voice. It sounded like it belonged to someone around their thirties. A few silent moments passed before the dark figure suddenly chuckled. A laugh that didn't belong to a sane person. ''Oh, you are so naïve''. Suddenly, the dead body that had previously lay prone on the bed, suddenly sat up and punched the shadow in the jaw, releasing the figure. The shadow had dropped to the floor and the figure could now clearly see that it was, like it expected, a male. A trained assassin by the looks of it, but not trained enough. The newly risen body stood by its side, its fingertips glowing with magic.

The assassin looked at the two figures with wide eyes. ''You... you're a necromancer'' he said, astonishment written clear on his face. The necromancer took a menacing step forward. ''Don't try to escape. You won't get far before either me or my little friend catch you'' the figure threatened. The man could finally make out that the voice was female, something unusual among necromancers. ''Now who are you. Why did you kill this man?'' she asked, cocking her head towards the undead that stood by her side. ''I... I was ordered by my master to kill him, my lady'' he said. He slowly got up from his position on the floor, hands raised to indicate that he meant no harm. When he was on his knees, instead of standing up, he bowed before her deeply. He bowed so deep, that his nose touched the floor.

''I see you are a great necromancer. You managed to rise that body in mere seconds and without a ritual'' His voice was shaky, as if he was sure that the woman would decide to kill him any second. But she remained silent, merely gazing down at him. Had he been able to see her face he'd know she was curious. ''I humbly ask that you spare my life, at least until you may meet my master. I believe he would be interested in conversing with you.''.

The woman considered it, wondering if it was a trap. But if it was, the man was a fool, for it was obvious that she could overpower him easily, even without an undead to help her. ''Where is this master of yours?'' she asked curiously. ''He currently resides in the frozen wastes of Northrend. I already have transportation ready'' he offered. She hummed to herself in thought. ''And... your master is a powerful necromancer?''. the man, still groveling on the floor, nodded. ''yes, my lady. He has formed the Cult of the Damned. A great army of necromancers and acolytes who exist only to do our master's bidding.''

She had heard of the cult of the damned. It had been a few years ago, when it was only recently formed. She was so caught up in her quest for revenge that she didn't care about it at all. But now, with most of the people on her list dead, and Antonidas having died to the former prince, Arthas Menethil, she thinks she just might be interested in meeting this 'master'. ''Take me to him''.

The man, who she found out was named Tiberius, led her to a secluded part of the forest. Her new lackey, the mage that she had killed, followed after them. Seeing the undead reminded her of how far she had come since the start of her quest. She had killed all of the mages that were with Antonidas when he invaded their home, and even then a few that she found out were against Kel'Thuzad for many years, just out of spite. It had taken her five full years to get to this point. Tracking and killing highly skilled mages of Dalaran was no easy feat. It was even harder to do it without being noticed.

She had never truly come to terms with Kel'thuzad's death. He was her teacher, her companion and her friend. And if he hadn't died, she thought, maybe they could have been something more. But fate tore him away from her, and with it all the possible futures. The only thing that she was left with was a great need for revenge. Now, with her task almost complete, she wondered what she would do with her life. Of course, in between tracking and killing the mages of Dalaran she had not been sitting idle. She had experimented on the mages that she killed and, after several years, managed to figure out a way to raise them into undeath, and keep their magical capabilities. They still had their own mind, but it was twisted and they only listened to her commands. Their former life would be forgotten.

Maybe she would create her own little cult. Or maybe she could join this other necromancer if their views and ambitions were in line with hers. But for that she would first have to meet him.

The assassin led her through the forest until they reached a cave. Inside this cave she could feel magic. She hesitated for a moment, but she then realized that it was simply a portal. It was probably what the man had used to get here. She followed after him into the portal. She always disliked this way of travel, for it pulled and pushed at your physical and mental form and left you disoriented once you get through to the other side. Which is what happened right then and there. inter dimensional travel had never been her strong suit as a mage.

She tried not to let it show, but she had to blink rapidly to try and get her bearings. When she finally did she gaped at what she saw. They were in a giant circular room, mostly covered in ice. The temperature had dropped drastically and she shivered, though she forced her body to change to the air with a simple spell. This was definitely Northrend how she remembered it. Cold and unforgiving. After a quick sweep of the room she finally focused on a figure in the middle, in front of what looked like an altar. The figure was gigantic, almost twice the size of a normal sized human. It was wearing a kilt-like dress, and judging by the way the end of the robes were hovering, it was not standing, but actually floating. In fact, she didn't think he had legs at all. He wore a headdress, which, while making most people look ridiculous, actually made him look formidable and intimidating. He also had great claws that looked to be several inches long. Though what really made her frown were the chains that were floating around him. She was sure that he would have no problem in using them to subdue if needed. All in all, he looked quite formidable.

And also like trouble...

Of course she instantly recognized him as a lich, which automatically made him all the more superior. She could not help but bow as his presence enveloped her. It was vast and commanding, one befitting of a lich. His aura was full of power and she could feel it pressing down on her. It made her shiver, and something odd boiled in her stomach. Something wasn't right here... ''My lord. I have come here at the request of your subordinate to meet with you'' she said, her head still bowed in respect. When she didn't hear a word from him, she looked up only to find him staring at her. His skeletal jaws were slightly parted, giving it a quite comical sight, and the blood red orbs serving as his eyes were quivering in their sockets. Tiberius shuffled nervously. ''Master?'' he asked unsure.

Whatever kind of trance he was in, the lich snapped out of it. ''Why have you brought her here, Tiberius?'' the lich asked as he crossed his claws. His voice made her shiver. It was smooth but hollow, with a subtle echo to it. She had never seen or heard a lich, so it was an entirely new experience. This being was making her highly uncomfortable for reasons unknown. ''Master, I did as you asked. I killed the mage Vax'ildan, as you requested. However, right after I had finished the job this woman came in, I assume to kill him. I tried subduing her, but she had quickly reanimated the corpse of the mage and restrained me instead. After finding out how powerful she was, for I believe that was only an inkling of what she could do, I decided to bring her to you''.

The lich nodded in satisfaction. ''well done, Tiberius. You may leave'' he dismissed him. The assassin bowed deep once more. ''Thank you, lord Kel'Thuzad''.

As those words left the servant's mouth both the lich and Lilith stilled. If she had looked at the lich right then she could see him flinch. ''What...?'' Lilith spoke softly, barely above a whisper. She turned to Tiberius, grabbing him by the shoulder to forcefully pull him up. ''What did you call him?''. Tiberius, who by now felt like he was staring death in the face, was shaking from head to toe. He could feel the malicious intent radiating off of her in waves. ''L-lord Kel'Thuzad, my lady... please don't kill me''. Lilith hated to admit that her eyes were starting to water as memories of a now distant past resurfaced. ''But he's dead...'' she whispered to herself. The woman dropped the man, instead turning towards the lich. Said lich, despite lack of a proper face, looked highly uncomfortable. ''Now, Lilith. I can explain...''

But a scream interrupted him. He quickly had to pull his arms up to project a protective barrier, for he was soon bombarded by magical attacks of all kinds. Arcane, fire, frost and necrotic magic was flung at him at an impressive rate. ''You asshole!'' he heard a yell and right after he could hear, feel and see an ominous crack in his magical barrier. ''You bastard!'' another crack. If he could swallow he would, he had definitely pissed her off. He had never imagined that her powers had grown to such a magnitude since they last met. And to have them enhanced by pure emotion too... Even he was having trouble keeping her out. ''You're supposed to be dead!'' After those words the relentless attacks finally ceased. After a few tentative seconds, Kel'Thuzad let down his barrier to look down upon the crumpled mess that was Lilith. She was on her knees, bent forward with her forehead against the cold floor. Her body was shaking all over. Sobs wracked her body, and despite being a lich, he could feel a pang of pity. ''I thought you were dead....'' she whispered.

Kel'Thuzad dared to approach her, letting his form down to her level, his robes spilling around him. Never before had he tried to speak eye level with someone aside from The Lich King. ''Lilith...'' he gingerly asked, not knowing how she would react. When she didn't do at all he placed a clawed hand on her shoulder. As quick as lightning her hand clasped over his, holding him down with impressive strength. ''I took revenge for you... for five years I have hunted down and killed all of Antonidas' damn lackeys. I killed them in cold blood and raised them as my servants. All to avenge you. And now... now I've found out that you're not even dead. For five years I thought you were dead'' She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself. She was on the brink of crying, out of relief or shock she did not know. the tears hung by her eyes, but she would not let them fall. She promised herself that the day that Kel'Thuzad died was the last time she would cry.

''I thought you were dead, dear. When I was captured by the Kirin Tor for questioning, they had informed me that the woman they found in my house had been killed on sight'' He placed his other hand under her chin, making her look up at him. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes red and puffy. He didn't know he'd have such an affect on her. Seeing her face made his chest flare with unusual magic, something he decided to ignore. ''But I am glad that was not the truth'' he said softly. Suddenly she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his skeletal torso. It felt weird hugging a skeleton. His chest cavity was free of any organs and flesh. His ribs were hard and cold, but they still gave her some form of comfort. Just knowing that she was holding him was enough. She was just happy to find out that he, after all these years, was still alive. And she was once again by his side. Though it was obvious things had changed, and staying with him might not be an option, at least her mind was now put to rest.

''You lied to me, you know'' she sniffed against his chest. For now, she would just imagine it was his old body. Soft and warm. ''You weren't safe. And you didn't come back'' She sniffled again, but it was a lot less violent than before. Kel'Thuzad carefully stroked her hair, trying not to stab her with his claws. He was not used to handling things with care. ''No, I did not. I guess that surprise is out of the question then?'' he asked, remembering clearly what she had said before he left. He had to admit he had been curious for a long time, but he put it in the back of his mind, for he thought he would never have the chance to find out after being told she was dead. Lilith shifted against his chest in response. ''Maybe one day. When I ask you to keep another promise'' she finally replied. Kel'Thuzad deflated just a little in disappointment.

Sharing a rare tender moment with Lilith sparked something within Kel'Thuzad. Ever since he had started on his cult he hadn't had time for affection or self-pleasure. The only real relationship he had with anyone was with Lilith, and that was extremely short-lived. After her supposed death he hadn't felt the need to indulge in any kind of relationship other than apprentice and master. All notions of physical affection had disappeared when he became a lich. But now, with lilith in his arms once more, he felt content. If only just a little... He felt Lilith shift again, and this time she let go of him. ''So I see you've become a lich. How did that happen?'' she wiped her nose and cheeks. If Kel'Thuzad could smile in his lich form he would, though his eyes quivered in delight. ''We have much to talk about, my dear''.

Kel'Thuzad gave her a tour of the necropolis. He was quite impressed that she barely flinched. Most living would run in terror. just like he had when he first came here. During the tour he explained what he had been up to in the past few years, how he became a lich and swore servitude to the lich king, the former prince Arthas. Lilith listened silently, not speaking a word.

But it was obvious that their years of separation had changed her, and she was no longer the sweet girl she used to be. But of course, he had changed the most. Ever since he heard of Lilith's 'death' he had isolated himself even more. When he went out to search for more power and formed the cult of the damned, he made sure he would not get close to his apprentices. He would always keep a safe distance between him and them, and would never let any affection show. This grew far easier once he turned into a lich. Most of his personality had been left intact, but he could now ignore pain, grief and affection if he so wished.

When they were nearly at the end of the tour. she turned to him, looking him right in the eyes. He noticed that she hadn't done that ever since the tour began, and he wondered why. When he looked down at her now he saw a battle-hardened and determined woman. He remembered how he always thought how beautiful she looked when she had that expression. ''So you are now a lich. You no longer have a human body. You probably can no longer feel, taste or smell anything. Don't you ever miss being able to?''. The lich sighed. He had expected this question to come from her, though not so soon, and not outside of his chambers. Now that she had asked though, he could not deny her an answer.

''Becoming a lich is all I had ever hoped for ever since I was promised eternal life by Ner'Zhul. I didn't even think about how much I would lose, for I didn't care. I didn't have any need to taste or smell anything. Though I can still feel if I wish to''. lilith looked down in thought. ''I see... I know becoming a lich is the highest honor granted to a necromancer, and therefore I am glad that you have been given this gift''

Both fell silent again, this time it was an awkward one. Kel'Thuzad seemed calm, but Lilith kept fidgeting with her robe. An unspoken thought hung between them. What now?

Their saving grace came upon them in the form of a meow. Both necromancers turned around in surprise at the unexpected sound, seeing a fluffy white haired cat with a brown tuft of color on its face trot towards them. In between all of the horror and gore, the cat seemed horribly out of place. ''well hello there, little kitty. What are you doing here?'' Lilith cooed as she let the cat sniff her hand before petting it. In response, the cat rubbed up against her hand and legs. ''That would be Mr. Bigglesworth. He roams these grounds as my pet'' Kel' explained. He looked on worriedly as Lilith bent to pick him up in her arms. ''Please be careful''. She could hear the genuine concern in his voice, his hands automatically reaching out for the creature as if he wanted to take him into his own arms, but stopped himself. She smiled at him. ''Don't worry. I have plenty experience with cats myself. I used to have one myself after...'' her voice slowly trailed off and soon fell silent.

Neither of them wanted to talk about the event, at least not so soon. But both knew that they would have to. Mr. Bigglesworth wriggled in Lilith's arms, demanding to be pet. ''Lilith...'' he started softly, as if he did not want to scare her. ''Would you like to retire to my chambers?''. Everything around them seemed to stop. Lilith's face paled. The workers around them stopped in their tracks. Some looked shocked, others grinned and some looked like they had just received the best topic for gossip talk. It was then that the lich realized what the suggestion might have implied. He scrambled for an excuse. ''T-To talk!'' he exclaimed. Lilith nodded slowly, a light hint of pink now dusting her cheeks.

The workers returned to their stations after a swift glare from their boss and he quickly led her off to his personal chamber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact
> 
> I was brainstorming ideas with my bf and this is what he came up with. I actually used it in his honor.
> 
> thinking that he's dead she sets out on a quest of vengeance, she's seen at least one of the mages that is a subordinate of twat face main mage guy, from him she finds out that he has a ring of subordinates who she begins to hunt down  
> little does she know that kel thuzads agent is also doing the same  
> one of his new apprentices since he became a lich  
> bla bla  
> she gets to one of the mages places a little late  
> finding out that he's already dead  
> and then there's a knife at her throat  
> asks her who she is  
> bla bla  
> I serve the lich master bad guy dude  
> bla bla  
> i'll take you to him, bla bla  
> omg kel thuzad  
> I thought you were dead  
> undead boner


End file.
